<p>Everyone always says that to get the best out of your college experience you should talk to and build relationships with the faculty. </p>
<p>How do I talk to them though?
I don't have any problems with the material in class and when I go to office hours there are so many people that I can't really just chat with them
Is this because I'm in such large classes? Do i have to wait until I'm taking upper-divs?</p>
<p>You don’t have to be taking a professor’s class in order to meet a professor. Find one that does research you think is cool, email to arrange a meeting, and talk about that.</p>
<p>There’s really two – no, maybe three times when you should talk to and/or build a relationship with faculty. (1) If you don’t understand something or have specific questions. (2) If it’s a killer (as in amazing) professor whose brain you want to pick because its an area of interest to you. (3) If you enjoy the professor and just want to shoot the breeze.</p>
<p>It also helps, in larger classes, for them to get to know YOU and be interested in you as an individual, rather than just a random face in the crowd. I think there’s also some correlation in getting a better grade in the class, especially if you have to write a paper.</p>
<p>While not all professors are interested in these little office hours (after all, some students can be annoying or a real yawn), most love the company of an interested student, especially if it gives the professor a chance to pontificate on a subject near and dear to his/her heart.</p>
<p>Remember, aside from asigned office hours, professors will almost always make an individual appointment to meet with you. Or you can just show up and knock on the door and see if they’re in. Most (not all) are okay with that.</p>